Einëssa Moondance
by Jelli-baby
Summary: Legomance, girl dropped into ME, you know the score. But this one's different! Read and review.......... please!
1. Default Chapter

DISCLAIMER: I do not own Lord of the Rings or any of the names, places or characters therein.

Did that sound official enough?

So, read on! Please review if you liked it )

Jelli-baby

* * *

I have a very vivid imagination, so it came as no real surprise to me when I awoke to find myself in Middle Earth.  
I didn't know it at first. I just thought it was some very weird dream. But after pinching myself several times and nursing the resulting bruises, I concluded that I somehow had been magically transported to my all-time number 1 holiday destination.  
Sitting up and looking around me, I took in my surroundings - big, stately gardens full of ornamental fountains and expensive-looking topiary, in the middle of some woods - then, remembering reading FOTR aeons ago, I realised this place was just like Mirkwood, home of the one and only totally yummy Legolas!  
I leaped to my feet and smoothed down my hair. I hoped I was looking OK. I couldn't take my chances. After all, we were talking about THE sexiest elf in this or any other galaxy.  
The gardens looked deserted. I wondered where everybody was. Probably at some big fancy event. Well, they'd probably come out soon and find me.  
I wandered around for a while. I was wondering whether this was some kind of mirror land - it all looked identical whichever way I turned - when I came across a fountain that was about five times bigger than all the rest, sitting on an island in the midst of some rippling waters. I held my breath. It really was beautiful. It was made from highly polished stone and the water running from it was crystal clear, yet somehow still looked as silky as molten gold. On the tower of the fountain there was a tiny black plaque. Some of the writing was in what looked like elvish, but there was some English there too. I leaned in closer - the writing really was miniscule. I could just about make out what it said -  
  
FOUNTAIN OF THRANDUIL  
KING OVER MIRKWOOD  
  
There was another line underneath it, in impossibly small writing. I was already leaning at a dangerous angle over the water to read, but I really wanted to see what the next part said - I was almost certain one word said 'Legolas' - but I had leaned too far, and I toppled into the sparkling waters.


	2. The Fountain of Thranduil

The pool had looked deceptively shallow from above, but before I knew it I was in over my head and still sinking. The water was freezing cold and uninviting. I had never been a good swimmer, and my lungs were bursting with the need for oxygen. I kicked and struggled for the surface to no avail. My long hair was tangling around my arms. My head felt light and dizzy. My chest felt fit to explode. My muscles ached.  
  
Then something strange happened to me, and all of a sudden I just stopped trying. All my muscles went limp and I just gently sank down, down, looking up through layers of shimmering water to the faraway bright circle of the Sun. Now, instead of feeling cold and unfriendly, the pool felt warm, inviting...the water was a soft pillow, and I was almost tempted to close my eyes and sleep.  
  
But then something plunged into the water from above, momentarily blocking the Sun. Now all the muscle cramps returned and I thought I would faint from the pain. The shape was swimming towards me, though, and I felt strong arms around me, pulling me back up to ground level.  
  
We broke the surface of the water and I felt the cold air sting my face. I took a great gulping gasp of air.  
  
My rescuer dragged me out of the water. I still felt faint, but I was vaguely aware of many people standing around, watching me. I closed my eyes and laid my head down on the gravel of the path beneath me. I took more steadying breaths and felt my consciousness returning.  
  
I heard voices talking in harsh tones in some language I could not understand, and then more people yelling and seeming to be sending the crowd away, because soon the area was quiet and all I could hear was the whistling of wind in the trees.  
  
I opened my eyes and found I was inches away from the face of an elf - Legolas. I looked deep into his eyes. They were blue - searing blue; azure; crystalline; all the beautiful, romantic names you can think of for blue, that was the colour of those eyes. However, they were half-hidden under a deep frown. I hoped I wasn't the cause of it.  
  
But then my eyes travelled downwards and focused on the tip of an arrow millimetres from my neck. 


	3. A meeting with Legolas

I inched backwards very slowly, trying to act submissive. I didn't want to give Legolas any reason to puncture my jugular vein.  
  
Legolas never once took his eyes off me for what seemed like an hour, then loosened his bow and put the arrow away. I breathed a sigh of relief. Thank God, all my blood was still inside me.  
  
"Stand up," Legolas commanded. Not quite the romantic opening I would have hoped for, but whatever. I scrambled up, feeling very, very conscious of the fact that my hair was drippy and straggly and hung limply around my face, which was blue with cold. I remembered uncomfortably that I was very wet, and, just my luck, was wearing a white T-shirt.  
  
Legolas surveyed me, and no doubt noticed all this, with what seemed like extreme distaste.  
  
"What is your name, stranger?" Legolas asked, and while he was doing so, I realised with shock that although the words left his mouth in elvish, they entered my brain in English. I wondered when I'd learned to translate elvish.  
  
"Do you speak at all?" Legolas barked, and I realised I had been staring wordlessly at the elf for the past 30 seconds. I leaped back to life abruptly.  
  
"Oh... yes, yes, sorry...I was just...oh, it doesn't matter, I, uh... I was-"  
  
"Name?" Legolas interjected impatiently.  
  
"Oh, um. Erin. My name is Erin," I answered.  
  
"Erin?" He wrinkled his nose. "Such a clumsy, ugly name."  
  
Well, thank you, I thought.  
  
"Now...Erin," here, again, Legolas screwed up his face, like my name smelled bad, or something, "you shall come with me to my father, Thranduil, King over Mirkwood."  
  
"Hey, is that guy whose fountain I-" I began.  
  
"Yes, that guy. The guy whose gardens you trespassed in, whose golden waters you disturbed, and whose fountain you damaged beyond repair," Legolas interrupted savagely. "And if I hadn't dragged you out of that pool- "  
  
"Wait just a second, you saved me?" I broke in.  
  
Legolas was silent for a moment, treated me to another steely glare with those amazing eyes, then nodded.  
  
I looked at him in a new light. "Thanks."  
  
For the first time since I had met him, the frown broke away and a faint smile emerged. "You're welcome." It was like the sun coming out from behind a cloud. But then it was re-hidden behind a towering bank of thunderclouds as he frowned again.  
  
"Now, to my father's council, to discuss your punishment," Legolas said.  
  
"Punishment?" I repeated weakly, but Legolas was already striding into the forest, so I ran as fast as I could to catch him up. 


	4. Mirkwood

The woods around the gardens were dense and gloomy. I stayed close to Legolas. I had no wish to be lost among those tall trees where I was almost persuading myself I could see eyes watching me.  
  
We walked for a very long time, and I couldn't even see a clearing in the woods, let alone buildings anywhere. Then I realised we had been in the midst of a city all along.  
  
Mirkwood elves were tree-elves! I had only to look up and I could see buildings: big, small, grand, humble; elves walking from treetop to treetop as confidently as if they were on the ground; children playing, male elves shouting, females singing; it was just as I imagined it, just 50 feet in the air.  
  
Soon we came to a huge tree: really, really, vast. It had no branches until about 60, 70 feet up, and that trunk looked thick enough to fit my car inside, easy.  
  
I heard a call from high up. Legolas shouted back, "Legolas Greenleaf. I bring the girl."  
  
A thin rope, maybe 80 feet long, dropped down from the sky. Legolas began to slide up the rope like the opposite of gravity. I stared. Did he really expect me to do that too?  
  
Legolas seemed to notice I wasn't following. "Climb!" he yelled.  
  
"I can't!" I shouted back, remembering the last time I'd attempted to climb a rope. I'd strained all the muscles in my arms to pull me up, had only managed to ascend about five feet, then I'd looked down, developed a sudden case of vertigo, hyperventilated, slid down the rope and burned all the skin off my hands.  
  
Even from 15 feet below, I could tell Legolas looked exasperated. He slid back down to ground level.  
  
"Get on my back," he commanded.  
  
"What?" I stared at him.  
  
"My back! Get on my back, I'll carry you up," he said.  
  
I hesitated, then clambered awkwardly onto his back. Legolas grunted - I knew I shouldn't have eaten so much chocolate - then began to ascend the rope again.  
  
It was obvious that I was a burden to Legolas, and hindering him greatly, but soon we reached a platform, and I thanked Legolas, who looked like he'd just given a piggyback to an articulated lorry.  
  
Then I made the mistake of peering over the side of the platform. I gave a little cry. The forest floor was an alarming distance away. My legs buckled and I nearly fell, but Legolas caught me deftly and pointed me down a path. I followed it until I came to the grandest building I had ever seen. It made Buckingham Palace look like a doll's house. Legolas gave me a push down the gravel path. I walked down it and came to some vast, tall, grand doors about 3 times as tall as I was.  
  
"Go in," Legolas said. "Thranduil is waiting." 


	5. Thranduil

I entered a huge resonant hall. Thranduil sat on a golden throne at the other end. I walked towards him, flanked by Legolas and another elf who had joined us from the door. My every footstep echoed horribly around the hall and again I felt conscious of my clothes and appearance.  
  
It seemed it took forever to reach the throne. Thranduil's eyes were closed. I looked at his face. It was older than Legolas', but practically the same, except that the nose was bigger, and there were more worry lines.  
  
I stopped about six feet from his throne. Thranduil's eyes were still closed. I wondered if he even knew we were here.  
  
"Father, I bring the girl," Legolas announced, thllen he and the other elf took a step back, leaving me feeling vulnerable and exposed. My heart beat hard. My throat felt dry.  
  
Thranduil opened first one eye, then the other. His eyes were the same piercing blue as Legolas', but instead of looking unfriendly, they looked amused at something. I turned slowly to look at Legolas, but he was staring straight ahead and wouldn't meet my eye.  
  
Thranduil began to chuckle. It was a deep, throaty chuckle that filled the cavernous room. Then he began to laugh softly. The guard elves standing by his throne looked at each and started to laugh. Thranduil started to laugh louder, and the attendant elves, and the one behind me, joined in. Soon Thranduil was roaring with mirth, and I giggled nervously, though I was not sure why everyone was laughing. The chamber rang with laughter. The only person in it not laughing was Legolas, whose face was as straight as his hair. Sourpuss, I thought.  
  
"Tell me, child," Thranduil called to me, wiping tears from his eyes as the laughter died down, "why do you wear such funny clothes?"  
  
I looked down at my soggy jeans and crumpled T-shirt, and grinned. "Well, I -" I began.  
  
"Father, I thought we agreed to discuss the matter at hand: the destruction of your fountain," Legolas put in, frowning, for a change.  
  
"Oh, the fountain can be fixed," the king waved a hand in the air carelessly.  
  
"She still must be punished," Legolas, who I was beginning to like less and less, replied. "She trespassed in your gardens. She disturbed the Golden Waters. She-"  
  
"Oh, consider yourself forgiven," Thranduil winked at me jovially.  
  
"Thank you, sir," I replied.  
  
"But she-" Legolas began.  
  
"Legolas! Learn to live a little," the king snapped. Legolas looked as though he had been slapped, and stepped back.  
  
"Now, what did you say your name was?" Thranduil asked benignly.  
  
"She says her name is Erin," Legolas sneered, again with obvious distaste.  
  
"Erin? Now that is an unusual name. Now, how did you come to Mirkwood, Erin?"  
  
I thought hard. "I don't know. I just opened my eyes and there I was," I shrugged.  
  
"And you know of no way to return to your home?"  
  
I shook my head.  
  
"Well, I shall arrange for a horse to-"  
  
"Oh, I don't think you can reach my home by horse," I interjected. "It's in another world, you see."  
  
Thranduil looked as though he didn't see at all. "In that case you shall have to remain here for a while. You shall be made most welcome," the king smiled.  
  
Legolas, who had been staring at the floor, raised his head in surprise. "Stay here? Here in Mirkwood?"  
  
"Of course," Thranduil nodded. "She will be in your charge. Oh, and Erin, if you are going to stay in Mirkwood, you must have an elven name. I shall call you 'Einëssa'. It means 'moondance'."  
  
"Father, I really must protest," Legolas cried.  
  
"You will go now," Thranduil said, and closed both his eyes again. Legolas and I were ushered out of the chamber. 


	6. Alassé

Legolas began striding angrily down a long corridor so fast I had to run to catch him up.  
  
"Legolas," I panted. "Where are we going?"  
  
Legolas glared at me, and said nothing for a few seconds. Then he said, "We are going to see Alassé."  
  
"Who's Alassé?" I asked.  
  
Legolas reached a door and pushed it open. "My sister."  
  
The door opened into a huge, high-roofed bedchamber. There was a dressing-screen, some full-length mirrors and a towering four-poster bed, along with a dressing table, set of drawers and a wardrobe that was big enough to be a whole other room.  
  
I was just taking in this amazing room when a female elf emerged from a side chamber. She wore a long, floaty dress with big sleeves. She looked a lot like Legolas. Her straight blonde hair went down past her shoulders, but her eyes were hazel-green. She surveyed me just as her brother had done, but her gaze was friendly, and a smile twitched on her lips.  
  
"Who is this girl you bring to me, brother?" she asked. Her voice was light and musical.  
  
"Her name is Einëssa. Father wishes her to stay in Mirkwood. He wants you to look after her."  
  
I opened my mouth to correct him, but Legolas gave me a warning glance and left the room.  
  
"I do apologise. My brother is so rude," the elf smiled at me. She held out a graceful, long-fingered hand. I shook it.  
  
"My name is Alassé Greenleaf. I'm pleased to meet you," Alassé said in her musical voice. "I think, if you are staying, we should get you another outfit, because, no offence, but those clothes won't really do." She waked over to the wardrobe and started raking through it.  
  
"I know," I looked down at my garments and grinned apologetically. "I fell in a fountain."  
  
"My father's fountain?"  
  
"Yeah."  
  
Alassé turned and looked at me with interest. "To be honest, I am surprised to see you are here now." She started flipping through her dresses again.  
  
"Your brother saved me," I explained.  
  
"He is one of the only ones able to survive those waters," she admitted, looking at a purple foofy skirt, but discarding it. Then she picked out a dress from the wardrobe. "How about this?" 


	7. The Amber Necklace

I stared at the dress in amazement. "Oh my god," I breathed.  
  
Alassé's eyebrows furrowed. "You don't like it?"  
  
"No, no, just the opposite," I replied. All my life I'd wanted to wear a dress like that, ever since I watched my first princess movie. The dress was beautiful. It was blue; not the bright blue of Legolas' eyes, but a light, powder blue, almost white. It had long sleeves with wide, fluted cuffs; it was fitted to the waist, and then had a straight, floaty skirt down to the floor.  
  
"Do you want to try it on?" Alassé asked.  
  
"Do I!" I practically snatched the dress from her.  
  
Alassé helped me into the dress. There was only one downfall - I had to ear a corset. Alassé strapped me into it so tight I thought she'd probably just moved me down two dress sizes.  
  
"Is it necessary that it has to be this tight?" I wheezed.  
  
"Believe me, I'm, going easy on you," Alassé smiled dryly.  
  
When she had finally strapped me in I felt like I was wearing a straightjacket. Alassé looked out of the window at the sundial and announced there was half an hour before we needed to be at dinner. She got out some powder and dabbed my face with it, then swished my hair up and held it in place with a clip. A few strands fell into my eyes. I blew them away.  
  
"Do you want to see yourself in the mirror now?" Alassé asked me.  
  
"OK," I agreed uncertainly, but when I stepped in front of the mirror I gasped. The person looking out was definitely not me. She maybe wasn't movie-star good looks, or elvish good looks, or any good looks at all, but she sure looked a lot better than I usually did.  
  
And believe me, I may not have looked as good as a princess, but I sure felt like one.  
  
Alassé looked at me critically, then picked up a small box and handed it to me. I opened it. Inside was a beautiful silver necklace with a tiny amber gem set in it.  
  
"I want you to have this as a welcome present. The stone matches your hair," Alassé remarked.  
  
I felt speechless. "I don't know what to say...thank you," I said gratefully. I took the necklace from its box and fastened it around my neck.  
  
Alassé met my eyes. "Welcome to Mirkwood, Einëssa Moondance." 


	8. Dinner With the Greenleafs

We walked along an endless corridor towards a set of grand doors, which opened onto yet another corridor with a different colour scheme. Geez, what was this, Palace Labyrinth or something?  
  
Alassé was silent. I couldn't think of much to say so I said, "Your brother doesn't like me much."  
  
Her mind seemed to have been on something else. She shot me a brief smile and said, "Oh, I'm sure he does really. He just takes a while to warm up to people."  
  
"Oh." I felt slightly better but couldn't help thinking that it would take him a long time to warm from his current state - sub-zero.  
  
We finally came to the dining-chamber - which, incidentally, was almost as big as the throne room - and waiters pulled out our chairs. I was seated opposite Alassé and next to Legolas, who stood up when I entered, and who had an expression of complete surprise on his face.  
  
"Einëssa, you look. really, really nice," he said with what seemed like honesty, thought I couldn't be sure. Even so my heart was drumming so loudly against my chest I was surprised nobody yelled out "Earthquake!"  
  
But from then, as usual, it all went wrong. Legolas saw the necklace around my neck, and suddenly his tone was harsh as he demanded, "Where did you get that?"  
  
Inwardly, I rolled my eyes. I knew it was too good to last. "Alassé gave it to me," I explained.  
  
Legolas turned to Alassé, and, with a laser glare like that from those piercing blue eyes, I was surprised she wasn't a pile of jelly on the floor by now. But wither she was not afraid of her brother, or had an extra- sting force field, because she glared back just as hard.  
  
"Yes, Legolas, I gave it to her," Alassé announced coolly. "Is there a problem with that?"  
  
"You know perfectly well there is a problem with that," her brother blazed. "We were not given that jewellery so you could hand it out to whichever ungainly human thing passed by."  
  
Well, great. So now I wasn't only a clumsy girl with an ugly name, I was an ungainly human thing too.  
  
"How are you supposed to know what Mother told me we could do with her jewellery?" Alassé cried.  
  
"Do not speak about our mother!" Legolas bellowed, and, knocking over his chair, stormed out of the room. Alassé stared at her plate with teas in her eyes. I decided not to push the matter, and we ate dinner in silence. 


	9. The Dark Past

After we had eaten, Alassé walked me to another bedchamber. It wasn't quite as big, but was still huge.  
  
"You sleep here," Alassé said. She had been oddly quiet and reserved since her fight with Legolas.  
  
"Alassé... are you OK?" I asked.  
  
Alassé hesitated, and shut the door before replying, "I am sorry you had to see an argument."  
  
"It's OK," I shrugged. Maybe not the best answer, but what was I meant to say?  
  
"Legolas has been...badly affected by our mother's death," Alassé sighed.  
  
"Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't know," I apologised. "When was it?"  
  
Alassé looked at me, then turned away. "A week ago," she replied.  
  
"Oh," I said. I really had no clue what to say in a situation like this, but luckily Alassé was doing a lot of the talking.  
  
"I was never as close to her as Legolas was, but she gave me some of her jewellery before she died, Legolas the rest." Alassé stared out of the window, then turned to me. "Actually, I think I was a bit hasty in giving her things away so soon... you wouldn't mind if I..."  
  
"Oh, no, not at all," I replied quickly, and handed the necklace back regretfully. Dammit, I thought, I'd really wanted that.  
  
Alassé slipped the necklace back into the recesses of her dress and started staring into space again. I knew I really shouldn't ask, but I so wanted to know-  
  
"Alassé?" She turned. "I...shouldn't ask, but, well...I thought elves were immortal."  
  
She gave me a sharp look. "Broken heart," she explained. "She died of a broken heart."  
  
"Oh," I said. I should have left it there, but I was stupid enough to push my luck. "Why-?"  
  
"My other brother was killed. Shot by an orc arrow," Alassé interjected. She turned to look at me. "He and Legolas were always her favourites," she said bitterly. "Figures."  
  
There was an awkward pause, during which I tried and failed to think of a suitable response, then Alassé said curtly, "I must retire. Sleep well," and left the room, closing the door sharply behind her. 


	10. Waking in Mirkwood

I found a silk nightgown in a drawer and undressed with difficulty. I had some trouble unlacing my corset, but I didn't dare go and ask Alassé for help. I seemed to have really offended her.  
  
Idiot, I thought, hanging the dress up in my wardrobe. You never know when to shut your big mouth.  
  
I hadn't meant to pry. I was just too curious for my own good.  
  
After I had washed in the elaborate bathroom, I settled into the four-poster and shut my eyes. I didn't really want to go to sleep. What if I woke up back in my house, back with my annoying kid brother and constantly rowing parents? I much preferred it here, even if so far I had already really offended two elves and been made into a laughing stock by all the others.  
  
And that's another thing, I lectured myself inwardly. You're going to look like such a lemon, wandering round Mirkwood all by yourself because nobody will speak to you.  
  
But I was far too tired to worry, and sleep rolled over me and took me away.  
  
When I awoke birds were chirruping outside and the sun cast golden lengths of light through the large east-facing windows. I lay for a few moments, still half-asleep, and then I remembered where I was and everything that had happened.  
  
I dressed myself - or, at least, tried to, and left my room to see if I could find Alassé and apologise. No sooner had I even thought this, though, than she appeared from around a corner with a plaintive look on her face. She stopped in her tracks when she saw me and stared like a deer caught in headlights. I guessed she was still a little sensitive from last night, and who could blame her?  
  
As soon as I saw her I stated apologising for my intrusive behaviour, but she just held up her hand, like to tell me it was OK, and we just stood there for a while looking at each other, and then she burst out laughing.  
  
I couldn't get why she was laughing, but then she explained, "Oh, Einëssa, you look so funny standing there with your corset laces hanging out the back of your dress."  
  
Then I started laughing at myself too, and Alassé helped me to lace up the corset properly, and we were all OK again. I waited for her to tell me what we were going to do that day but she said, "Einëssa, I have to attend my father's council this morning. Why don't you go and see my brother? He's probably practising archery by the river again."  
  
I must have had a really weird look on my face because she laughed and said, "Don't worry, he won't yell at you or anything. It's me he's mad at."  
  
But as I watched her swishy blonde hair retreating down the corridor, I felt like I couldn't be too sure about that. 


	11. Knowing Him Better

I was escorted down the 80-foot rope by two elves that looked almost identical. They showed me through the forest to a riverbank. We crossed over it in a kind of canoe thing and got to a huge open field. There was a lone figure standing down at the other end with a few targets there. You could tell it was Legolas by the accuracy he was hitting the targets with.  
  
My armed guard left, and I walked down the, length of the field. Legolas acted like I wasn't there, even when I got up to a few feet away. He just kept on shooting arrows right into the bull's eye.  
  
I don't need to write down just how crummy that made me feel. I'd just finally met this guy of my dreams that I'd been attracted to for, like, forever, and he tried to get me punished for something that was a total accident, frowns at me all the time and acts like I'm a microbe or something. I mean, I was standing like six feet away and he didn't even acknowledge my presence.  
  
And on top of all that, it was all I could do not to reach out and brush back a strand of his hair, or touch his face, or look into those deep blue eyes, or-  
  
"OK, what do you want, Einëssa?" Legolas broke into my thoughts. He had stopped shooting arrow into the bull's eye and was scowling in my direction.  
  
I decided not to answer that question. "You're a really good archer," I said.  
  
Legolas looked straight at me. "What makes you think that?" he asked sharply.  
  
I looked at him sarcastically, and then at the two-dozen or so arrows all clustered in the middle of the target.  
  
Legolas laughed. "I'm not bad."  
  
"Not bad?" I had heard of modesty, but this was Understatement of the Century. "You're fantastic. Seriously. I mean, you could probably shoot an arrow right across this whole field and it would still be accurate enough to ki-" I stopped abruptly, remembering Alassé telling me about her dead brother, but Legolas was still waiting for the end of that sentence, so I finished lamely with "ki...rry on straight into the bulls-eye."  
  
He laughed again. "Kirry on?"  
  
I bit my tongue. "It's a dialect where I come from."  
  
"Strange language," he remarked.  
  
"You wouldn't believe," I fingered that neckline of my dress. The lace was really itchy.  
  
"Where's the necklace?" Legolas asked.  
  
"Necklace?"  
  
"The one you were wearing last night," he replied. "Oh... Alassé took it back after you..." I broke off.  
"After we argued."  
"Yeah. She said she'd been too hasty giving it away."  
  
Legolas rolled his eyes. "It was one thing giving it away in the first place, but it's another to take it back. That's just rude."  
  
"I don't mind," I lied.  
"You do, I know you do," Legolas caught my eye, and I looked into his, and I felt like I was sinking I that fountain-pool again, but this time I didn't mind, because it was warm and friendly and deep and I never wanted to come out...but then Legolas broke my gaze.  
  
"We should really head back to the palace," he said.  
  
"Yeah. We should," I agreed, and the moment had gone, broken, scattered to the wind. We headed back through the forest to the palace and all the way he never met my eyes once. 


	12. No Faith

We entered the palace together. It was strangely quiet. I guessed it was because everybody was at the council. I asked Legolas why he hadn't gone, but he just shrugged and didn't answer.  
  
As we approached the throne room, suddenly a whole barrage of elves swarmed out. I spotted Alassé and waved. She came over to us, darting through the sea of people like a fish.  
  
"So, did you have a nice time by the river together?" she joked. I blushed so hard I probably looked like a lobster. Legolas glared at his sister and said nothing. Since we had left the field, all his almost- friendly attitude had evaporated.  
  
Alassé seemed to realise that she was not going to get an answer out of wither of us. "Father wishes to see you," she said to Legolas. He left for the throne room without speaking.  
  
"Weird," I said, half to myself. Alassé looked at me. "What?"  
  
"It's just...while we were by the river," I felt myself turning red again, "he was being realty nice, but suddenly in public he's acting like I'm an amoeba, or something."  
  
Alassé laughed really hard like I was joking. "My brother, being nice to someone?" she spluttered. "That's about as likely as my father hiring him as an archer."  
  
"But he's a really good archer," I protested. "I saw him, just now."  
  
Alassé laughed again, but uncertainly this time, like she was undecided whether I was joking now.  
  
"No, he's not," she said, but unsurely. "He was in this arching competition about three years ago. He sucked."  
  
"He might have practised a lot since then," I said, thinking that if Legolas sucked at archery for an elf, I did not want to be enemies with any of these other guys.  
  
"You're telling me he practised," Alassé agreed. "He spends every millisecond of spare time down that field. But no amount of practise can make him really good. He'll be awful forever."  
  
"Well, maybe he wouldn't be if people had some faith in him, like his sister for one!" I shouted, surprising even myself.  
  
Alassé looked shocked. "Look, I'm sorry," I apologised. "I'm just mad because he's acting so two-faced."  
  
Alassé smiled. "It's OK. Come on, let's go and see him. He'll be with my father in the throne room." 


	13. Temper, Temper!

Somebody was laughing hard when we tiptoed into the throne room. It sounded kike Thranduil again. What a cheerful guy, I thought.  
  
Only thing was, when he had been laughing at me, the laughter had sounded friendly. Now it was belittling, mocking.  
  
When I got a clear view of the room I saw that Thranduil was laughing at Legolas. Legolas didn't look as though the found it all that hilarious, though. He was standing there with his eyes on the floor respectfully...or was it that he was hanging his head in shame?  
  
Alassé caught my am and whispered, "I think we should wait here fir a while, until he stops talking." I nodded.  
  
Thranduil stopped laughing and looked at Legolas. "And do you really think that when Elrond asked me to provide a representative for Mirkwood, I would consider sending you?" he said scathingly.  
  
"Father, I believe I can represent Mirkwood," Legolas said earnestly.  
"You are a disgrace to Mirkwood. You cannot even shoot an arrow into a target! You embarrassed me so badly during that competition. You were a laughing-stock. And you are supposed to be a prince!"  
  
Legolas went quiet and stared back at the floor. I was getting really mad. Could nobody at all here see how great a guy Legolas really was?  
  
I think Alassé sensed what I was about to do, because she grabbed my arm and held on really tight, to hold me back, but I was a lot stronger than her, and I twisted out of her grip and ran towards the king, yelling, "You should be ashamed of yourself!"  
  
I felt every pair of eyes in the room turn to look at me, but I didn't even flinch. I marched right up to Thranduil and kept on shouting.  
  
"Nobody in this whole damn place has got any faith in Legolas at all! You just dismiss him. You're his father! He can do so much more than you know!" I turned to Legolas. "Go on, Legolas, show him! Prove it!" 


	14. Disappointments

The room went very quiet. Everyone was looking at me, shocked. Legolas was giving me frantic 'what-the-hell-are-you-doing' looks. Alassé covered her face with her hands.  
  
"Go on, Legolas!" I shouted, incensed.  
  
Thranduil looked disapproving. "I do not think-"  
  
"Please, Father," Alassé pleaded indistinctly, head still hidden. "This means so much to him."  
  
Thranduil looked as though he was torn. He obviously wanted to please his daughter but did not want to give any pleasure to his son. Then h appeared to make a decision.  
  
"No. My word is final. I do not want Legolas to represent Mirkwood. I shall send Tithirön. He surely is a worthy elf."  
  
"No!" I yelled. "It's Legolas, you have to send him! It says in the book and the film! You've got to!"  
  
"What is the girl talking about?" Thranduil said. "Out, Legolas. I am finished with you."  
  
"Yes, Father." Legolas bowed his head. "I understand."  
  
"No, you don't, you can't just give in! You have to go!" I shouted.  
  
"Einëssa!" Legolas growled warningly. He and Alassé began to stride from the room and I followed them. The huge throne room doors slammed shut behind me.  
  
"Legolas, what are you doing? You can't just give in! You have to go to the Council, that's how it's supposed to go!" I yelled at him.  
  
"Sometimes, Einëssa, there are things you just have to accept," he said quietly.  
  
I was almost crying with frustration now. "You can't just accept this."  
  
Legolas looked up and met my eyes. "Why shouldn't I, when there is not way I can change it?" He turned and walked off down the long corridor. I bit my lip and blinked hard so Alassé wouldn't see the tears in my eyes. 


	15. Catching Up

About a month had passed since my arrival at Mirkwood, and slowly life was getting better. My friendships with Alassé and Legolas were growing stronger and I was growing closer to them both.  
  
Legolas was still evidently upset about his father choosing to send Tithirön to the Council of Elrond. Sometimes Legolas would talk about sneaking to the Council anyway, but never made any move to do so, to my half relief. He was no longer allowed to spend his time in the archery field, as it was begin used to give Tithirön last-minute training before he left Mirkwood for Rivendell in a week's time.  
  
Being robbed of his favourite pastime, Legolas was spending more time with his sister and I. Sometimes, when Alassé was with her friends, Legolas and I would walk together through the forest or by the river, and I learned a lot more about him. He was a really nice guy, sensitive and sweet, and I felt myself falling for him more deeply than for anyone else I'd ever met.  
  
Sometimes I would see Tithirön in passing throughout the castle. He would always give me a sort of leering smile and if he ever saw me with Legolas, he was give us a horrible sneering, patronising look and walk off without speaking. His eyes were very close together, giving him a suspicious look, and he acted suspiciously too, always sneaking around and always being unpleasant to people. In fact, the only elves he was ever nice to were the king and Alassé, and I wasn't all too sure that was sincere.  
  
Despite his close-together eyes, Tithirön was actually quite good- looking, and Alassé was very much attracted to him. He was nothing on Legolas, but of course Alassé couldn't be attracted to her own brother.  
  
Tithirön was always smarming up to Alassé, and about two weeks after being chosen to represent Mirkwood, had asked her to be his girlfriend. She had immediately accepted, but I had a bad feeling about the whole thing. I tried to warn her, but how do you tell someone their boyfriend is a jerk when they're totally and completely smitten? I had no proof, anyway, and as Alassé could only see Tithirön's good side, she would never believe he was up to anything. But, call it sixth sense, or premonition, I had a horrible feeling about his ulterior motives. 


	16. Yurgle

It was a beautiful sunset in the early summer. Legolas and I were taking a walk in a glade by the river. Sunlight streamed through the canopy of leaves above us and struck Legolas' hair golden.  
  
I felt perfectly comfortable with Legolas now. Sure, we had got off to a bad start, but we were growing closer every day and I was glad that Legolas thought of me as a friend. Of course, I still fancied the pants off him, but I hadn't told him, or anyone, that. I'd let him find out in his own time.  
  
"I wish my sister wasn't going out with that creep Tithirön," Legolas remarked.  
  
"Me too, apart from anything else he looks like a fish," I said bitchily. Legolas laughed, a rich, musical laugh that made my heart backflip.  
  
"Yeah. But I meant he's so..." Legolas paused. "I don't know how to put it, just..."  
  
"You mean he sneaks around everywhere, lurks in corners and acts like he's the Prince, not you?" I suggested.  
  
Legolas smiled. "Exactly. You always know just how to say what's in my head."  
  
I blushed. "Oh...sorry."  
  
"No, it's good," he said, and put his hands in mine. Immediately my body went haywire and my brain disconnected itself from the whole shebang, leaving my mouth to fend for itself.  
  
"I really like you, Einëssa," Legolas was looking into my eyes, no trace of a joke.  
  
I wished my brain hadn't deserted me. "Yurgle," I said.  
  
Legolas frowned. "You don't." He let go of my hands, to my regret. "You can just say if you don't want..." he broke off.  
  
"Oh, no, I do, I really do, I'm sorry, just..."  
  
I never got a chance to finish that sentence, because suddenly a shrill scream sounded from within the forest and then came the sound of hooves cantering away. 


	17. Kidnap!

Legolas looked at me fearfully. "That sounded like Alassé!"  
  
Immediately we both ran through the forest towards the sound of the screaming. Faintly, I could see a horse galloping away. We both started running towards it but suddenly a whole parade of horses galloped past at top speed, evidently chasing after the runaway. The last horse in the procession slowed by us and its rider dismounted. I recognised him as one of the king's attendants from the court.  
  
"What's happening? Where's my sister?" Legolas demanded.  
  
"Tithirön has kidnapped the Princess," the attendant said. "But we found out just in time. Our best men are after them. Do not worry. We will return her in no time."  
  
Legolas tried to barge the attendant out of the way and get to his horse, but he blocked his way.  
  
"Let me go! When I get to Tithirön-"  
  
"We are under strict orders from Thranduil not to let you go. Even though Tithirön is probably going to be thrown straight into jail," he remarked wryly, "Thranduil doesn't want him hacked to pieces, all the same."  
  
"I've got to save my sister!" Legolas shouted at him. But the attendant remounted his horse and rode off to stop Legolas from hijacking it. Legolas, defeated, slumped down on a rock and put his face in his hands.  
  
"Legolas, it's OK, they'll get her back, they said," I tried to reassure him, but I had interpreted him wrong.  
  
"No, that's not it, just...nobody trusts me any more," he said, kind of helplessly. "I don't know what to do. Maybe I should just leave anyway."  
  
"No!" I shouted. Legolas looked up in surprise. "I mean...well, if you want to go, you should go, but..."  
  
He looked at me in a strange way. "You don't want me to go?"  
  
"No," I said quietly. "I don't."  
  
Suddenly, without warning, the search party returned and I spotted Alassé being taken up to the castle. Legolas and I followed them back and spoke not a word between us. 


	18. Suspiscions

We entered the palace and made our way to Alassé's bedchamber. Crowds were milling outside her room and when Legolas and I tried to enter, a guard-elf pulled us back.  
  
"I'm sorry, the princess is very upset. Close relations only, please," he said in a bored tone.  
  
"Hello, I'm her brother," Legolas said.  
  
"Is she expecting you?"  
  
"Oh, for Valar's sake," Legolas said exasperatedly, pushed his way past and opened the door. I followed. "Je suis avec le elf," I said by means of explanation.  
  
Alassé was sitting in her bed when we came in. She looked totally miserable. She was crying, but she gave us a weak smile when she saw us. I went over and gave her a hug.  
  
"You must think I'm so stupid," she sniffed.  
  
"Of course we don't," I said. "Er...what actually happened?"  
  
"Tithirön kidnapped me," Alassé said plaintively. "He didn't love me at all, he just cared about the money. He just wanted my father to pay him for my safe return."  
  
"Good job the king's archers are so great," Legolas remarked, not without irony.  
  
"Yeah, but one thing, Legolas, now Tithirön's out of the picture, at least you'll be able to go to the Cou-"  
  
"Shh!" Legolas hissed at me. He obviously didn't want me to talk about the Council in front of Alassé for some reason. Luckily, however, Alassé had blown her nose noisily when I had spoken and hadn't heard what I said. I shot a confused look at Legolas, but he just gave me a warning glance and looked away.  
  
It was night outside the palace now, and the stars twinkle like little diamonds set in the navy sky. Legolas got up off his sister's bed, stretching and yawning.  
  
"I think I will retire," he said. "Yeah, me too," I agreed. "Look, Alassé, don't bother about that Tithirön guy. You're worth twelve of him." I gave her another hug and we left.  
  
Legolas walked me to my room. "Goodbye, Einëssa," he said softly.  
  
I jumped. "Goodbye?"  
  
"No, I said goodnight," he laughed uncertainly.  
  
"Did you?" I could have sworn it was goodbye. "Goodnight, Legolas. See you in the morning."  
  
I turned and walked into my room, but as I did so I almost thought I heard Legolas saying, "Will you?" 


	19. Mon Coeur Brisé

I awoke suddenly in the middle of the night with a horrible feeling that something was badly wrong. My instincts told me it was something to do with Legolas. I dressed quickly and left my room.  
  
Moonlight streamed through the corridor's long windows and cast silver rectangles on the floor. I shivered in the night air.  
  
I reached Legolas' room and gently tapped on the door. No answer. I pushed the door open but his room was empty. My heart began to beat hard against my chest.  
  
I decided to check the stables, told myself he'd be with his horse; he probably just couldn't sleep and had gone for a walk.  
  
But the stables, too, were silent when I reached them. Now I was beginning to panic. I knew something terrible had happened.  
  
That was when I noticed. All the other horses were there, breathing heavily, tails swishing, snorting, but the booth where Legolas kept his horse was empty!  
  
My breath caught in my throat and I choked, tears sliding down my face. I couldn't believe he would just leave. But then I heard a horse's hooves outside.  
  
I ran to the door of the stables and saw a horse galloping away. Its rider was Legolas! I sprinted towards it, shouting, crying, until he saw me, and slowed and stopped.  
  
"Legolas, why are you leaving?" I cried as he dismounted.  
  
He sighed heavily. "Einëssa, I have to go to the Council. I know I have to. I can feel it."  
  
"But I don't want you to leave," I said. I was biting my lip painfully hard to stop myself from crying even more.  
  
"I don't want to leave either, " he said softly. "But I have to. There is nothing for me here."  
  
"There's me," I said quietly. Legolas nodded and took a hold of my hand.  
  
"Einëssa, I would take you with me if I could. If there were any choice, I would not have thought for a split second, I would have taken you. But dark times are here. The Dark Lord wants the One Ring. I may need to travel further than Rivendell. It will be dangerous. I may not survive."  
  
I wanted to tell him he would, but how do you explain to someone that you know their future, you've read about them, watched films about them? Instead I wiped my eyes fiercely and said, "I know you will survive."  
  
Legolas squeezed my hand gratefully and began to turn away.  
  
"Legolas!" I cried. He turned slowly and met my eyes, and I knew I had to say this, but I wondered how I could.  
  
"...I love you," I whispered.  
  
There was a long pause, then Legolas looked up into my eyes with his, so blue, for a second that seemed like an hour.  
  
"I love you too, Einëssa Moondance," and he took hold of my head and he leaned down and he kissed me, and we kissed beneath the moon and the diamond stars and the great bowl of sky and I thought my heart would burst...and then he pulled away and mounted his horse and rode away until he was just a speck on the horizon, and I stood, heartbroken, in the cold, cold, night, and I watched the speck until it had gone.  
  
The End? 


End file.
